Beds of one kind or another are generally a ubiquitous feature in most patient care application settings. Accordingly, bedding is similarly commonly present in such settings. That said, bedding requirements can vary greatly with such things as the size of the patient's mattress. Mattresses, for example, can vary greatly with respect to their depth. As a result, to some large extent patient-care facilities often eschew fitted sheets because such sheets may work well with one size of mattress but not another size of mattress that can be found at the same facility.
Furthermore, the bedding needs of all patients in all application settings are not identical. Some patients, for example, may spend a significant portion of their time in an unconscious state or have other special needs. Air-powered mattresses (such as the A20 alternating pressure, low air loss homecare powered mattress as offered by Medline) are sometimes employed that permit automatic pneumatic adjustments of mattress firmness. Such mattresses typically tether to an appropriate control unit via pneumatic tubing. Typical bottom sheets, fitted or otherwise, often physically conflict with the presence of such tubing.
Some patients, whether conscious or unconscious, may be difficult to move when lying atop their bed (due, for example, to their personal weight or other special circumstances). So-called repositioning sheets (also sometimes known as glide sheets) are sometimes used to facilitate moving such a patient. Though often effective for such a purpose, existing repositioning sheets are nevertheless sometimes not completely well-suited to each and every application setting. Furthermore, such repositioning sheets are often designed without any particular consideration of the bottom sheet with which the repositioning sheet may be used.
Elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present teachings. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present teachings. Certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. The terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary technical meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions by persons skilled in the technical field as set forth above except where different specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.